Who Is the Spirit That Dwells Within Believers?

Biblical Authority Devotional: Authority of the Spirit, Part 1

The Holy Spirit dwells within each believer. Scripture tells us that the Holy Spirit is God.

That good thing which was committed to you, keep by the Holy Spirit who dwells in us. (2 Timothy 1:14)

Today’s big question: who is the Spirit that dwells within believers?

In the previous devotionals, we have considered God the Father and God the Son along with their authority. If we are to obtain a deeper understanding of the doctrine of salvation, we also need to study Scripture in regard to the Holy Spirit. The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit all have a part in salvation in different ways, and each one deserves our praise and honor. In order to understand the Holy Spirit’s part in salvation, we should discuss His relation to the Father and the Son.

The Holy Spirit is not just called by this one name in Scripture, but also by other titles. For example, He is called the “Spirit of God” and “Spirit of Christ” in Romans:

But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His. (Romans 8:9)

In John 14:17, He is called “the Spirit of truth,” and He is called just “the Spirit” in James 4:5. While reading these passages, we should take note that all of them mention this one biblical truth: the Spirit dwells in believers. Obviously, all of these passages are talking about the same Spirit.

These names help us understand that the Spirit is of God, and the Spirit has access to the same truth that God has access to (1 Corinthians 2:10). In fact, the Holy Spirit is God, as it is God who dwells (abides) in us:

By this we know that we abide in Him, and He in us, because He has given us of His Spirit. (1 John 4:13)

All believers have God’s Spirit within them. The Spirit within believers is contrary to the flesh; however, if we walk in the Spirit, we will not succumb to the flesh (Galatians 5:16–17).

This is just one aspect of the Holy Spirit that will be explored further in this Authority of the Holy Spirit devotional series. Knowing who the Spirit is and that He dwells in us should help us begin to understand the role the Holy Spirit plays in salvation.

Today’s big idea: God’s Holy Spirit dwells within us.

What to pray: ask God to help us rely on the Spirit rather than the flesh.

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Answers in Genesis is an apologetics ministry, dedicated to helping Christians defend their faith and proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ effectively. We focus on providing answers to questions about the Bible—particularly the book of Genesis—regarding key issues such as creation, evolution, science, and the age of the earth.